Krieger Electric owner and two great-grandsons of Buffalo Bill Cody are said to be the victims.

By RYAN E. LITTLETHE LEDGER

Published: Friday, February 15, 2013 at 6:13 p.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, February 17, 2013 at 4:28 a.m.

WINTER HAVEN | The bodies of a Winter Haven businessman and two of Buffalo Bill's great-grandsons were found Friday in the wreckage of a small plane that crashed in a marsh near Vero Beach, according to authorities.

Rob Kreiger of Winter Haven was among three people found dead Friday in the wreckage of a small plane that crashed Thursday near Vero Beach.

PIERRE DUCHARME | THE LEDGER (2011)

Indian River County Sheriffs deputies are not identifying the three deceased, but friends of the men say they were Rob Krieger, 65, owner of Krieger Electric in Winter Haven, and Kit Cody and Barry Cody, great-grandsons of William "Buffalo Bill" Cody, who was famous for his organized Wild West shows that toured throughout the United States and abroad in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

The men were in a Cessna 310 that crashed at 4:54 p.m. Thursday while flying in inclement weather, according to the National Transportation Safety Board and other authorities.

Conditions were so bad a pilot would have likely had to rely on instruments alone to fly, said Tony Cristaldi, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Melbourne.

The plane crashed in a remote area of the Fort Drum Conservation Area about 20 miles west of Vero Beach, and the wreckage was not found until Friday because of bad weather Thursday night, according to the NTSB and local authorities.

Indian River sheriff's spokesman Thom Raulen said the wreckage was found about 10 a.m. Friday in an area accessible only by helicopter. The plane, which was headed to Bartow, had landed at nearby Sebastian Airport after taking off from the Bahamas.

By Friday night, officials had made a tentative identification of the victims and have notified next of kin, but they won't release the names until positive identification can be made, likely sometime today, Raulen said.

Nancy Krieger, wife of Rob Krieger, said the three had spent two days on Treasure Cay in the Bahamas. Rob took a fly rod with him and fished, despite poor weather.

She said the Cessna 310 was Kit Cody's plane. Kit Cody was the pilot. Rob Krieger was the co-pilot.

The Cody (Wyoming) Enterprise newspaper reported that Kit Cody's wife, Linda, was supposed to make the trip to the Bahamas with the three men but canceled at the last minute.

WINTER HAVEN STAPLE

Rob Krieger, who was a helicopter pilot in Vietnam, built Winter Haven-based Krieger Electric from the ground up and was a big supporter of the Citrus Center Boys & Girls Club in Winter Haven.

"He just was a larger-than- life figure," said Kerry Wilson, a Winter Haven lawyer and friend of Krieger. "He was just one of those great, great men who come along every now and then. I can definitely say 1,000 children in our community owe a lot to Rob Krieger."

Krieger installed the original electrical system that powers the club's yearly fundraiser and community event, The Smoke on the Water BBQ competition, free of charge, Schemmer said.

The idea to hold the competition came from Krieger Electric employee Frank Csomos. The company has continued to be the event's biggest supporter.

The electrical system was vandalized twice in three months in 2012, severely damaging the structure, at a cost of about $27,000, and putting the annual event in doubt. But Krieger covered the costs that insurance and other donations didn't, ensuring the competition, held Feb. 4, went on without a hitch.

"That's just the tip of the iceberg for what he's done for those kids down there," Schemmer said.

Krieger was also an avid outdoorsman, Wilson said.

"He was the best ... duck hunter, and he was the best ... fisherman I've ever come across," Wilson said. "And he was just generous about everything."

Nancy Krieger said she and her husband of 25 years were planning to retire soon after 45 years building the company.

Rob Krieger didn't have much growing up, Nancy Krieger said. He got his journeyman electrical license at 16, served two tours in Vietnam in a helicopter company known as the "Razorbacks" and built a company with many loyal employees who have been there almost as long.

Kelly Krieger, Rob Krieger's daughter, said she was lucky to have such a man as her father, even if he "ruined her," she says.

"He is a man of so much integrity and just had a love for life and people like I've never seen," Kelly Krieger said. "He was honest. He was loving. He was an outdoorsman, And he was a man. But I would see him cry over a birthday card or over a stupid commercial on TV.

"I try to find a husband but no one will ever be half the man he was."

CODY'S CONNECTION

Kit Cody was raised in Winter Haven but more recently had been spending just half the year in the city. He used the city for the reason it was named, as a haven from winter.

He spent summers in Cody, Wyo., according to Jeri Stewart, a local BB&T mortgage broker Kit Cody did business with.

No information was immediately available about Kit Cody's brother, Barry, the third victim of the crash.

Cody, Wyo., is named for the Cody's great-grandfather.

Kit Cody had business interests in Polk County. He owned the Green Gables Inn on U.S. 27 for many years but sold it in 2004. He still owned the Green Gables Motel in Cody, Wyo., according to Stewart.

Raj Patel, the current owner of the Green Gables Inn, said Kit Cody sometimes visited him and offered assistance with the business, located south of the Eagle Ridge Mall.

"I think he was the greatest man I ever met," Patel said. "I value him so much. He is going to be dearly, dearly missed."

Patel said Kit Cody rode a motorcycle and often engaged in skydiving at the Florida Skydiving Center in Lake Wales. He began skydiving in the military in the 1960s, according to the Cody (Wyoming) Enterprise, and completed his 1,000th jump in 2008.

Kit Cody wasn't afraid to advertise his hobbies, either.

Stewart said his business card had images on each corner of an airplane, a motorcycle, a parachute and a snowmobile.

"He was just a lot of fun," Stewart said. "Always had a smile on his face. He was just a very wonderful guy."

Kit Cody served as vice president of the Cody Family Association, an international network that includes a Florida Circle. On at least one occasion, he hosted a gathering of the Florida Circle at the Green Gables Inn in Lake Wales.

Tom Costello, retired executive director of the Polk County chapter of the American Red Cross, said Kit Cody was known for supporting local charities.

"He and his wife are just awesome folks," Costello said. "You just don't get better than that."

[ Ledger Reporter Gary White contributed to this report. Ryan Little can be reached at ryan.little@theledger.com or 863-401-6962. Follow him on Twitter @LedgerRyan ]

<p>WINTER HAVEN | The bodies of a Winter Haven businessman and two of Buffalo Bill's great-grandsons were found Friday in the wreckage of a small plane that crashed in a marsh near Vero Beach, according to authorities.</p><p>Indian River County Sheriffs deputies are not identifying the three deceased, but friends of the men say they were Rob Krieger, 65, owner of Krieger Electric in Winter Haven, and Kit Cody and Barry Cody, great-grandsons of William "Buffalo Bill" Cody, who was famous for his organized Wild West shows that toured throughout the United States and abroad in the late 1800s and early 1900s.</p><p>The men were in a Cessna 310 that crashed at 4:54 p.m. Thursday while flying in inclement weather, according to the National Transportation Safety Board and other authorities.</p><p>Conditions were so bad a pilot would have likely had to rely on instruments alone to fly, said Tony Cristaldi, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Melbourne.</p><p>The plane crashed in a remote area of the Fort Drum Conservation Area about 20 miles west of Vero Beach, and the wreckage was not found until Friday because of bad weather Thursday night, according to the NTSB and local authorities.</p><p>Indian River sheriff's spokesman Thom Raulen said the wreckage was found about 10 a.m. Friday in an area accessible only by helicopter. The plane, which was headed to Bartow, had landed at nearby Sebastian Airport after taking off from the Bahamas.</p><p>By Friday night, officials had made a tentative identification of the victims and have notified next of kin, but they won't release the names until positive identification can be made, likely sometime today, Raulen said.</p><p>Nancy Krieger, wife of Rob Krieger, said the three had spent two days on Treasure Cay in the Bahamas. Rob took a fly rod with him and fished, despite poor weather.</p><p>She said the Cessna 310 was Kit Cody's plane. Kit Cody was the pilot. Rob Krieger was the co-pilot.</p><p>The Cody (Wyoming) Enterprise newspaper reported that Kit Cody's wife, Linda, was supposed to make the trip to the Bahamas with the three men but canceled at the last minute.</p><p> </p><p><b>WINTER HAVEN STAPLE</b></p><p>Rob Krieger, who was a helicopter pilot in Vietnam, built Winter Haven-based Krieger Electric from the ground up and was a big supporter of the Citrus Center Boys & Girls Club in Winter Haven.</p><p>"He just was a larger-than- life figure," said Kerry Wilson, a Winter Haven lawyer and friend of Krieger. "He was just one of those great, great men who come along every now and then. I can definitely say 1,000 children in our community owe a lot to Rob Krieger."</p><p>Longtime friend and Winter Haven ophthalmologist Gary Schemmer said the Citrus Center Boys & Girls Club likely wouldn't exist today if it wasn't for Krieger.</p><p>Krieger installed the original electrical system that powers the club's yearly fundraiser and community event, The Smoke on the Water BBQ competition, free of charge, Schemmer said.</p><p>The idea to hold the competition came from Krieger Electric employee Frank Csomos. The company has continued to be the event's biggest supporter.</p><p>The electrical system was vandalized twice in three months in 2012, severely damaging the structure, at a cost of about $27,000, and putting the annual event in doubt. But Krieger covered the costs that insurance and other donations didn't, ensuring the competition, held Feb. 4, went on without a hitch.</p><p>"That's just the tip of the iceberg for what he's done for those kids down there," Schemmer said.</p><p>Krieger was also an avid outdoorsman, Wilson said.</p><p>"He was the best ... duck hunter, and he was the best ... fisherman I've ever come across," Wilson said. "And he was just generous about everything."</p><p>Nancy Krieger said she and her husband of 25 years were planning to retire soon after 45 years building the company.</p><p>Rob Krieger didn't have much growing up, Nancy Krieger said. He got his journeyman electrical license at 16, served two tours in Vietnam in a helicopter company known as the "Razorbacks" and built a company with many loyal employees who have been there almost as long.</p><p>"It's not just my loss, believe me," Nancy Krieger said. "It's the community's, everybody's loss."</p><p>Kelly Krieger, Rob Krieger's daughter, said she was lucky to have such a man as her father, even if he "ruined her," she says.</p><p>"He is a man of so much integrity and just had a love for life and people like I've never seen," Kelly Krieger said. "He was honest. He was loving. He was an outdoorsman, And he was a man. But I would see him cry over a birthday card or over a stupid commercial on TV.</p><p>"I try to find a husband but no one will ever be half the man he was."</p><p> </p><p><b>CODY'S CONNECTION</b></p><p>Kit Cody was raised in Winter Haven but more recently had been spending just half the year in the city. He used the city for the reason it was named, as a haven from winter.</p><p>He spent summers in Cody, Wyo., according to Jeri Stewart, a local BB&T mortgage broker Kit Cody did business with.</p><p>No information was immediately available about Kit Cody's brother, Barry, the third victim of the crash.</p><p>Cody, Wyo., is named for the Cody's great-grandfather.</p><p>Kit Cody had business interests in Polk County. He owned the Green Gables Inn on U.S. 27 for many years but sold it in 2004. He still owned the Green Gables Motel in Cody, Wyo., according to Stewart.</p><p>Raj Patel, the current owner of the Green Gables Inn, said Kit Cody sometimes visited him and offered assistance with the business, located south of the Eagle Ridge Mall.</p><p>"I think he was the greatest man I ever met," Patel said. "I value him so much. He is going to be dearly, dearly missed."</p><p>Patel said Kit Cody rode a motorcycle and often engaged in skydiving at the Florida Skydiving Center in Lake Wales. He began skydiving in the military in the 1960s, according to the Cody (Wyoming) Enterprise, and completed his 1,000th jump in 2008.</p><p>Kit Cody wasn't afraid to advertise his hobbies, either.</p><p>Stewart said his business card had images on each corner of an airplane, a motorcycle, a parachute and a snowmobile.</p><p>"He was just a lot of fun," Stewart said. "Always had a smile on his face. He was just a very wonderful guy."</p><p>Kit Cody served as vice president of the Cody Family Association, an international network that includes a Florida Circle. On at least one occasion, he hosted a gathering of the Florida Circle at the Green Gables Inn in Lake Wales.</p><p>Tom Costello, retired executive director of the Polk County chapter of the American Red Cross, said Kit Cody was known for supporting local charities.</p><p>"He and his wife are just awesome folks," Costello said. "You just don't get better than that."</p><p> </p><p>[ Ledger Reporter Gary White contributed to this report. Ryan Little can be reached at ryan.little@theledger.com or 863-401-6962. Follow him on Twitter @LedgerRyan ]</p>